Idiots or Let's just Blame the Misunderstandings
by scribbledstars
Summary: JohannaxGale. Misunderstandings, miscommunication, an accidental kiss, and then a whole lot of yelling. Mostly fluffy and cute… well as much as Johanna can be. AU from Mockingjay. Post-rebellion.


Disclaimer: The Hunger Games do not belong to me!

Authors Note: This little story is unrelated to my other long Johanna-centric story (I think... I may borrow some events in the future). That one is in the SUPER early stages so no sign of JohannaxGale anytime soon but they really wanted to get together like NOW so I wrote this lighthearted one before I have to get into angsty romance mode. Currently a one-shot but depending on the response, I might continue it. So let me know what you think and enjoy :)

* * *

Johanna really doesn't like Katniss, even more than how she normally dislikes most everyone she meets. At first it was just because Katniss had this entire defender-of-the-helpless act that wasn't even an act and then it was because she played the quiet tortured soul perfectly, like she was the only one that lost people. The worst thing Johanna did now was insult the idiots that didn't understand that just because she'd slaughtered people in the Hunger Games and was the reason why her entire family was dead, didn't mean she was completely heartless now.

So when this guy that she only knows from a couple missions during the rebellion gives her a gentle hug when there's news that District 7 has been bombed by some fucking pro-Capitol stragglers and just says a simple "I'm sorry for your loss," she has a real reason to hate Katniss. Because this guy that's tall, dark, and handsome in a totally cliché way is Gale Hawthorne, and everyone knows why The Capitol forced him to pretend to be Katniss' cousin.

Even though she knows it's a bad idea to befriend Gale, she can't help herself because he's really fucking good looking and she likes attractive things – after all – look at who she kept around as her best friend, Finnick sex-on-legs Odair. Okay, that wasn't fair to Finnick who was more than just a pretty face. They'd gone through the same shit from the Capitol and learned to trust and rely on each other when everything else was falling apart. But she'd seen too much of his weakness and heartbreak to ever fall for him, but that wasn't the case with him, who always said hello when they ran into each other around town, meetings, or event, and at the cafeteria. At first she'd ignored him but then –

"Hey, how was your day?" Gale would ask. Or, "I heard your mission went well, Jax said you guys were in a tough spot." Then, "Your cast looks unstable, which doctor did you see? Come on I'll take you to Taylor she's old but she's the best we have."

She couldn't continue trying to pretend he didn't exist – Johanna was a lot of things, but being an outright jealous bitch wasn't one of them, so she started asking him about his day too and learned he was passionate about a lot of things that should have been boring – like infrastructure and welfare.

She knows she has a problem when she starts glancing at him from time to time when he's within eyesight, which is was why she's annoyed that he never seems to be looking at her – instead just extremely focused on what had to be super important files or Katniss, his eyes still softly following her around all the fucking time.

* * *

"Gale."

"GALE."

"GALE!"

"What? Catnip I'm trying to read this."

"Gale, that's upside down, what's wrong with you?"

"Did you see Johanna leave?"

"What?"

"She did leave! I'll catch you later okay Catnip?"

"…"

* * *

It's surprising when Johanna hears that she's actually included in the ridiculously named "Rebuilding Hope Tour" which is actually not just a way for all the Districts to finally meet all the supposed "heroes" from the rebellion, but also to spend time with local leaders and guide the way for rebuilding not as separate districts but as a nation. For a couple months she'd be travelling through all the Districts knowing only a couple of people, there were a lot of faces she never bothered to learn. She thinks it's stupid because what does she know about planning, that's much more Gale's expertise, and Beetee's. Even previously drunkard Haymitch was some sort of political genius that was always settling disputes, and Katniss was their beautiful savior that everyone wanted their children to be blessed by.

When they gather for another meeting about everyone's roles during the tour and they ask her what she wants to participate in she doesn't know what to say so she just says building.

"Yes obviously, it's a rebuilding tour, but building what?" asks some perky blonde that she recognizes as one of the faces of the rebellion, a pretty news reporter that kept morale up.

she feels like lashing out and is about to ask if she needs another hit of hypo – the new drug that makes people giddy and stupid but Finnick knows her too well and meets her gaze and shakes his head. So instead she just shrugs and hopes no one thinks its stupid idea.

"I mean building in general. I heard they've already started on new roads, schools, houses, that kind of stuff, and that it's mostly volunteer-based," Johanna says. She knows this because Gale's been talking her ear off about these projects. The blonde's jaw drops, "That's…"

"That's a great idea," says Gale looking at her, "I can't believe we didn't think of that earlier, thanks Johanna, I think everyone should try to participate with that when they have down time." He smiles at her and she thinks that maybe this tour won't be so bad after all.

* * *

The locals are better company than most of the touring members so she rarely spends time at the lodgings and instead chooses to rough it at the volunteer's homes. It's surprising they're so eager to have her – she thought her reputation as axe-wielding-murderous-bitch would make them want to distance themselves but apparently being a "celebrity" trumps everything. They're impressed she's fine with working from sunup to sundown but that's because she likes keeping busy with easy work and somewhere along the line she became really good at building everything – how to make sure the roads and straight and flat, how to modify the buildings to match the hilly terrain, what lumber is better for the walls and the floorboard, and when to use cement. Somehow she's become a leader too – making suggestions, and nobody questions her, they're just appreciative of the advice.

Gale and Haymitch are the unofficial leaders of the tour, and every week she meets with one to update them on what she's been doing and report how everything is going. It's the only time she sees Gale because he's always busy being called to look at something, and she never runs into any problems that require his assistance. It's a bit disappointing really. At least whenever she mentions that she's working on a particularly hard project she always gets more grumbling but still hard-working volunteers that have been sent by him.

It's the last week of their time in District 12 when Gale drops by himself to work on the rebuilding. Unfortunately Katniss comes with him, and so do a couple of other tour members that Johanna still doesn't recognize. It's a hot day to be working in the lumber yard, but they've run out of large blocks and it's supposed to rain soon so they have to cut as much as they can and store it before the storm. She dumps the rest of her water bottle on herself, and moans in relief as the cool water runs down her face and soaks her shirt. Her eyes were closed but when she opens them she sees Gale gaping at…her but he's not looking at her face. She glances down at her very soaked…white t-shirt. His cheeks are flushed and just as she registers that he's gawking at her body, Katniss shoves him in his side. Gale whirls around back to his (badly cut) tree.

Gale ignores her for the rest of the day and instead he and Katniss whisper furiously at each other when they think she's not noticing them, it's irritating how Katniss consumes all his attention. Johanna does store away the information that he isn't completely unsusceptible to temptation. Regular exercise, a lean diet, and good genes means she gets her share of appreciate looks when she wears something tighter – her pixie features aren't beautiful but they are a very refined-pretty, looks that don't compliment her usual unrefined words. She's not overly modest, she knows she's attractive, and knowing now that he notices, she buys some local clothes that are shorter and tighter than her usual baggy wardrobe.

She's disappointed when Gale sees her and instead of checking her out he frowns.

"You have a meeting at City Hall with Haymitch today, you're late you better go now," he says.

"Why would I go there if I can just report to you here?" she asks, annoyed that he was sending her away.

"Because it's been scheduled, just go!" says Gale exasperatedly so she glares at him and heads in the direction until he hears him call out to her. "Go home and change into something else…warmer, it's really cold in there!"

When she gets to City Hall not only is it really fucking hot, but Haymitch lets her know that the meeting was actually scheduled for tomorrow but since she was already there they go over the plans anyways.

* * *

"Gale, your mouth is open, stop starting at her chest!"

"Ouch! You don't have to hit me that hard Catnip, and it's not, and I wasn't."

"She was watching you stare at her."

"I wasn't staring at her."

"You were staring at her chest."

"No I wasn't."

"Then why do you look embarrassed?"

"Because you're accusing me of being a pig."

"All the guys were checking her out, it's not a big deal, unless you don't want her to think you're a creep."

"Who else was staring at her?"

"…"

"Is she really going to think I'm a creep?"

"Yeah probably."

* * *

Their last day at District 12 and a goodbye party was being thrown. Their first stop had been a major success. One of the locals that she's been working with brings her a drink and starts to flirt with her. She begins to pull away but then remembers when Finnick suggested earlier that week that she try to make Gale jealous when she complained about not knowing whether he was interested or not. Annoyed that Gale still hadn't arrived, she agrees to a dance with this other man, except now he was leaning in close, way too close. She barely dodges the kiss and it lands on her cheek.

Finnick's eyes are dancing as she stares in disbelief at Gale's back. His hands are still clenched in fists and his back is tense as he literally growls at people to get out of his way as he makes his way through the crowd that gathered.

"I didn't know you and Gale had finally gotten together," says Finnick.

"We're not together," says Johanna. Finnick quirks an eyebrow at her and Johanna glares back, "And what do you mean finally?"

"You know, when Katniss and I got engaged all he did was say that I better protect his best friend," says Peeta from the side.

"So?" she asks

"So why is it that when some random guy just kisses you on the cheek, Gale actually punches him?" says Peeta.

"Damnit, I don't need to be protected, who does he think I am? Katniss? Who does he think he is anyways?" she mutters, going after him.

* * *

Finnick and Peeta share a look.

"I don't think she got the point," says Peeta.

"Well, Katniss is still a sore spot for her," says Finnick.

"Johanna doesn't know that Gale's been chasing her around for months?" asks Peeta, "And I literally just told her that they're just best friends." Peeta glances at the unfortunate man nursing a large bruise blooming on his cheek and finishes his glass of champagne, "thank God for that."

Finnick shrugs, dropping another sugar cube in his cup of tea. "Jo still thinks Gale's in love with Katniss."

"That's ridiculous, Gale even comes to Katniss and I for advice," says Peeta.

"I'm Jo's best friend, why wouldn't he ask me for help?" asks Finnick.

Peeta pauses for a moment and then says, "Gale thinks Johanna's in love with you."

Finnick frowns, "Why would he think that?"

Peeta looks thoughtful, "Well, he's always complaining that you two are always together, and you're the only one she lets call her Jo."

Finnick realizes this is true, but that's because they're best friends that survived the loss of their families, their tributes, their mentors, and risked their lives, together. "We're best friends," says Finnick and then smiles realizing something else, "Kind of like how Gale's the only one that calls Katniss, what, Catnip?"

Finnick and Peeta share a look.

"Idiots."

* * *

She doesn't know what to think, but she does know that she needs answers and because Gale is so tall she spots him quickly and easily catches up to him.

"What was that back there? You can't just go around assaulting people!" She calls out to him. He spins around, stopping abruptly and she almost falls over from being right behind him.

"Why? You go around assaulting people all the time!" he yells.

"I don't go around assaulting people!" she yells back. Silence. "Okay so maybe I throw things at brainless idiots, but you don't! You don't even curse! You never yell, why are you yelling?"

"Because you're so extremely frustrating, being around you makes me want to scream sometimes!"

Her heart hurts, and she hurriedly wipes her eyes when she feels them start to tear up. Johanna Mason doesn't cry in front of anyone, ever. She starts to turn away but he reaches out to her and she hates that she lets him hug her close and when she realizes that she is literally on his chest, his very firm chest, her heart starts beating much faster than it should be. She raises a fist to push him away but he holds on to her tightly.

"Stop it, you're not even trying, I know you're stronger than that," He says with a slight chuckle "It's your fault anyways, why would you even let him kiss you when we're supposed to be on a date?"

"We're on a date?" asks Johanna.

He tilts her head up to see if she's joking. She's not. Her eyes are serious, confused, but serious.

"Of course we're on a date, how do you not know we're on a date? I asked you yesterday, if you had a date to the celebration, you said no, and then I said I'd pick you up and you said you'd rather just meet here," Gale says exasperatedly.

"That was you asking me on a date?" she asks. She remembers his voice trembling and thinking he was just catching his breath. Was it possible that he'd been nervous?

"You didn't realize that I was asking you on a date?" he asks back. She shakes her head; she'd honestly thought he was just being nice, because that was Gale, all around nice-guy, the opposite of her. He sighs and the tension in his body seems to melt away, "Oh Johanna, the things you do to me."

"Well, you should have been clearer, I even let him flirt with me because Finnick said that might make you jealous," she says, crossing her arms.

"Finnick said what?" he growls before blinking at the last part.

"So you do like me," he says, smiling.

"I'm letting you hug me right now, aren't I?" mutters Johanna, "And this isn't a date, that sounds so juvenile, I don't date."

Gale lets out a laugh and slings his arm over her shoulder, "So you want to jump right into a relationship? Sounds good to me."

She shakes her head, nose tilted upwards, "You haven't even said you like me yet."

He pulls her towards him again and looks into her narrowed eyes. He cups her face between his hands and her eyes soften when they look truly sincere, "I like you, Johanna Mason, I like you a lot," he says, and then leans down and gives her a soft kiss that's gone before she can even take in the moment. Her eyes flutter open. When had they closed?

"What about Katniss?" she asks softly.

He looks confused, "What about Katniss?"

"You're not in love with Katniss?" she asks.

He shakes his head. "Is that what you thought? No I'm not, I mean maybe before, she was the first person outside my family that I wanted to protect with my life, but we've changed, I've changed, I love her because she's my best friend."

Oh.

"Kind of like Finnick," she says after a moment.

He looks relieved before smiling a brilliant smile. "Exactly like Finnick."

She blushes when she realizes just how close they've been for the last couple of minutes, she can hear his every breath and see his chest rise and fall. She takes a step back and is annoyed to see that he's taken a step forward. She places her hands in front of her, keeping him at arm's length.

"Whats wrong?" he asks.

"I can't think when you're too close to me!"

"What's there to think about? I like you and you like me, right?" says Gale, "besides I've wanted you for months so why don't we just go back home-"

"I'm going back to the party, we're supposed to meet a lot of people tonight," Johanna announces, walking briskly towards the way they came.

"Wait, what?" He sputters, following.

He'd wanted her for months? She lets herself smile a giddy smile since she knows he can't see from behind her. Gale likes her, how could she not have realized until now? She feels nervous, ridiculously nervous, butterflies in her stomach, lightheaded, nervous. He catches up to her and holds out his hand, and after a moment she takes it. He pulls her into a deeper kiss this time. His lips are warm and consuming, his hands holding her tightly around her waist. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses back and after a moment, bites him lightly on his bottom lip. She feels his tongue brush lightly against her teeth and she lets him in, her whole body tingling because of his touch. They break apart seconds later and as she catches her breath she hears him ask, "Did you bite me?"

"You liked it," she says, pulling him towards the party, "We really should get back before they take the group pictures."

"You hate pictures," he says.

"Not if they're with you," she says and finally gets the desired effect, he blushes.

"We'll go right after then?" he asks, clearing his throat.

"Nope," she says.

"No?" repeats Gale.

"We're not leaving together," says Johanna.

"We're not?" he asks.

"I'm not that easy," she says, opening the main doors and pulling the reluctant Gale inside. He'd waited months already right? He could wait a bit longer.

* * *

It's a little disjointed and disconnected sorry about that, these were just some cute scenes that popped in my head. Hope you liked it!


End file.
